


Breathe In and Get a Bit Higher

by aeriamamaduck



Series: Cyrodiil's Child [14]
Category: Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Genre: Caretaking, Dibella is just so happy about these two., F/M, Gentle hair-pulling., Headaches, Kissing, Love, Massage, Non-Penetrative Sex, Romance, Sexual Content, Sleep Deprivation, Sleepy Sex, Stress Relief, Take a moment to think about Martin's fingers., clitoral stimulation, scalp massage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-08
Updated: 2016-09-08
Packaged: 2018-08-13 20:07:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7984510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aeriamamaduck/pseuds/aeriamamaduck
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stress and nightmares have been keeping Minerva awake.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Breathe In and Get a Bit Higher

She was tired, but the tension in her head and throbbing shoulders kept her awake, along with every dark thought that plagued her for weeks. Hair somewhat dry from her bath, Minerva combed through the tangled strands as she stared at the desk in frustration and exhaustion. She sat on the edge of Martin’s—and now her—bed, completely tired and knowing that the minute she closed her eyes she’d likely be greeted by a nightmare. They’d become much more frequent the more Minerva ventured into Oblivion, the sound of a whirring Sigil Stone filling her with terror. 

Nightmares seemed an almost-nightly companion, unwanted when she had Martin lying next to her, and he had enough terrors of his own to contend with. Visions of red spreading across a clear blue sky like ink on parchment, darkening the world as Gates sprung up around them. Minerva trapped in a dark cave with flames circling ever closer around her. Her screams tearing her throat apart as she watched daedra kill Martin in ways she didn’t _want_ to remember clearly once she woke.

She angrily tugged at a knot, trying not to think of her father sneering at the mess she’d made of herself.

How naïve of her to think sleeping in Martin’s arms would stave off the nightmares. Furrowing her brow she let herself fall backwards on the bed, praying for at least one night of peace, one night without the images of dismembered bodies hanging from chains, their torsos gaping open to show twisted and cracked ribs.

She pulled herself up to lie down properly on her side of the bed, wishing she could will Camoran’s death, that the Amulet of Kings would appear in her hand and it could all be over in the time it took to travel to the Imperial City. Minerva would never have to wonder if, at any given moment, someone was being killed or if entire cities were being laid to waste.

She’d never have to worry that she could die any day.

The door slid open, cutting into Minerva’s thoughts. She sat up and watched Martin enter, already changed into a loose shirt and pants for sleeping. He smiled at her and she returned it, her mood lightened somewhat by that. He shut the door behind him and made his way to her side, sitting on that same edge and pressing a kiss to her lips. “You don’t have to sit at attention every time I enter a room, you know,” he said with a soft chuckle.

Minerva smiled back and leaned in to press a kiss to his neck, inhaling the scent of soap on his skin as she brought her hand up to lay it against his chest above his heart. She’d thought it impossible that he would belong to her through marriage once everything was over and now wanted to thank Chancellor Ocato and Jauffre for their hands in it. She breathed in his scent, wanting to carry the sensation of him living and breathing with her all through the remainder of the Crisis.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured, lying back down and staring up at the gentle blue of his eyes. “I’m a bit on edge. Lack of sleep does that to you.”

He clicked his tongue in sympathy, and she knew he understood her all too well. She closed her eyes, still aware of the tension running from her head down to her neck.

Minerva felt his fingers thread through her hair and opened her eyes in surprise. Martin gave her a soft smile and murmured reassuringly, “Let me try something.”

She nodded silently and closed her eyes again, still frowning and too aware of her limbs stiff with lingering discomfort. His hand moved along her face, slowly and lightly, placing the slightest pressure on her brow before laying his entire hand on her forehead and stroking up to her hair. She sighed, the heat of his hand lingering on her skin.

He moved his fingers along her hairline before delving into her hair, pressing down gently into her scalp. His other hand came up to repeat the movement on the other side of her head, fingers drawing tiny circles into her scalp to the point where Minerva began to relax. She sighed as she unclenched her fists, not knowing when she’d clenched them so tightly. His right hand curled over a handful of her hair close to her scalp and began to carefully tug. Minerva gasped softly, the tension receding as his grip relaxed.

His voice fell over her like a warm blanket. “Am I pulling too hard?”

Minerva shook her head and breathed, “No, it’s perfect.” Her brow smoothed over, her lips parting to let a little moan out when he continued. He did the same gentle tugs across her scalp for several minutes, Minerva reduced to soft sighs and hums of pleasure as the pain slowly melted away. His fingers rubbed firm pressure along the backs of her ears, slowly making their way down the back of her neck. Then his fingers went back into her hair, giving one final grip before he let go and let his fingers trail over her skin.

She breathed in and out, sleepy and more relaxed than she had been in hours. She opened her eyes to find Martin still above her, smiling down at her as his thumb softly stroked her lips.

“Better?” he asked, his voice a whisper.

“Mhm…” She nodded and kissed the smooth pad of his thumb, her arm suddenly feeling heavy as she reached up to bury her hands in his hair. She smirked at his soft grunt when her hand tightened in his hair and she pulled him down to kiss him, feeling how warm and eager his mouth was.

She kissed him slowly, lips and tongue lazily moving beneath his as he crawled over her, hips settling between her legs. Her fingers slid through his soft hair, gently pulling and causing him to let out soft little moans that she swallowed. He slowly pulled away from the kiss to suck at the long column of her neck. Her hand found his and brought it to her lips, kissing the space between his thumb and index finger before licking a slow, wet trail all the way up to his finger tips.

His breaths were long shudders as he ground against her, taking his hand from her grasp to delve beneath her shirt and grope at her breast. She gasped and arched beneath him, forgetting how tired she was for a moment as her nipple stiffened beneath his dexterous fingers. They then moved slowly down her abdomen, Minerva biting her lip and stifling a whimper as Martin sucked her earlobe. His hand moved beneath the waistband of her trousers and underwear and suddenly his fingers were circling her clit.

She gasped sharply and threw her head back onto the pillow, feeling his hungry gaze rake over her as she writhed and moved her hips to match his careful, insistent strokes. Heat pooled at the pit of her stomach as he moved his fingers in her, covering her mouth to muffle the moans that threatened to emerge when pleasure raced through her, her hips jerking at his gentle stimulation.

He leaned down and kissed the back of her hand, and she immediately removed it to let him kiss her, hard breaths mingling in the room’s silence as his fingers’ movements sped. She shuddered at the sensation, thanking whichever Divine was listening for Martin’s fingers.

Her body tensed once again, different far more welcome than before, Minerva panting against Martin’s mouth as the pleasure climbed and climbed higher before sending her falling, gentle waves of bliss making their steady way across her muscles. He stroked her through her orgasm, lips trailing over her jaw as he slowed and finally took his fingers out.

Minerva covered her eyes, feeling shaken and drained by the intense result of his gentle stimulation, catching her breath and listening to Martin’s hard breaths, as if it had been just as bone-meltingly satisfying for him.

It was a few moments before she felt his mouth on hers again, and she moaned at the taste of herself on his tongue, realizing he’d licked his fingers clean. He wrapped his arms around her body and rolled them over so she lay on top of him, pliant and utterly tired. Ending the kiss she laid her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes and wondering if she would smile in her sleep.

She suddenly became aware of the hard bulge beneath her thigh and realized Martin hadn’t come, and she peered up to see his eyes closed tightly as he took deep breaths. She kissed the bob of his throat as her hand gently moved beneath his shirt, stroking the hard muscle of his abdomen and making her way to his waistband, just as he had.

His hand then trapped her wrist. “No, it’s fine,” he ground out.

Minerva looked at him in surprise, taking in the flush across his face and his disheveled hair. She supposed she looked no better. “Are you sure?”

He laughed, a strained sound, and nuzzled her forehead. “Darling, you’re exhausted, and it was pleasure enough to watch you like that. I’ll be fine for tonight.”

She would have argued if it weren’t for her eyelids suddenly becoming ten times heavier. Sighing in defeat she relaxed against him and laid her hand over his chest, murmuring, “You’re all mine in the morning, you hear?”

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and replied just as she drifted off, “Loud and clear.”

**Author's Note:**

> I went back and gave _As The World Comes to An End_ an overhaul, so please feel free to go back and read that one. :)


End file.
